Spicing Up Salad

Do you ever make the intention to bring a salad for lunch, then realize that actually you think salad is boring, overrated, and that you’ll be hungry in twenty minutes? Well, luckily for you, I have some salad tricks up my sleeve (like those delicious veggies above!) to bring you through the afternoon feeling perked up, full, and happy because you just had SALAD for lunch. Becca posted about this back in September, but as spring has sprung and delicious ingredients are back in season, here we go: Step 1: Vary your base. Ever since I saw kale as a base for a salad at Trader Joe’s, it’s been my new go-to green. If you’re sick of romaine or iceberg, try mixed greens, or start with something hardy like kale, or endive, or arugula. This will make your salad more interesting and give you a wider array of nutrients, too! Step 2: Protein, protein, protein. You’re going to get hungry if you have a bowl of vegetables, because you need protein to keep you going! Try adding turkey (low sodium if from the deli), tuna, or tofu, eggs, or beans if you’re a vegetarian. And, if you’re not lactose intolerant, add cheese, too! Protein will help your salad become more hearty, lasting longer throughout the day. Step 3: Toppings Make sure you add some toppings. If you just have lettuce and dressing, you’re doing yourself a disservice by missing even more nutrients and wasting calories on dressing. My favorites? Olives, sundried tomatoes, Snapea Crisps, blueberries, cranberries, cashews, pine nuts, peanuts, carrots, tomatoes, clementines...the list goes on. Try to add a vegetable, fruit, nut, and something crunchy. A variety of textures will help your salad stay interesting through your whole meal, too! Step 4: Make it in the morning Making your salad more than 12 hours in advance (read: before you go to bed or the next morning) might end with a soggy salad, and on one wants that. Step 5: Light dressing (or skip it) I, myself, don’t like dressing because I like to taste what I’m eating, but if you DO like dressing, keep it light. This way, you’ll save on calories and taste what you’re eating. Don’t like what you’re eating? See Step 1.

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Jennie is an Angeleno by way of the east and midwest. She loves all things colorful, citrus flavored, and coffee related, and can often be found adventuring around Los Angeles or cooking in her kitchen.